Former WWE creative team member Kevin Eck was a recent guest on the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling podcast on PodcastOne and discussed how Vince McMahon wanted to turn John Cena heel, before eventually nixing those plans due to a merchandise deal.

“Vince had agreed to do it, but then he changed his mind and said that we can’t do it. This was back around the time when McMahon was really looking at Sheamus to get his push. The question was, if we turn John Cena heel, then who is he going to work with, who will be the top babyface.

That was the feeling back then, we came up with some scenarios and believe it or not, John Cena was on board with it, but right around that time, there was a big clothing line for John Cena at K-Mart and Vince McMahon was like, oh he has a deal with K-Mart and now we’re going to turn him heel?

So, K-Mart is to blame for Cena not turning heel. During a meeting once Vince had a huge smile on his face, and he tells everyone that I know you’ve wanted John Cena as a heel for a long time, but we just can’t turn him heel and that was the end of that.”

The interview is available in full at this link.